Do Artificial Sweeteners Make You Fat?

The rise in obesity correlates to the rise in consumption of artificial sweeteners, inspiring researchers to investigate whether the relationship is causal. Although a recent study found that lab rats that consumed saccharin did gain more weight than those who did not, a representative for the artificial sweetener industry claims the increase in sweeteners cannot be solely responsible because “portion sizes of foods have also increased, physical activity has decreased and overall calorie intake has increased."

This is not the first study to prove that artificial sweeteners may cause health problems. A study in 2007 demonstrated that they increased consumers’ risk of metabolic syndrome.

Furthermore, researchers and dieticians have insisted for many years that low-fat, low-carb or artificially sweetened foods will hinder rather help weight loss. Naturally healthy, whole foods seem to be a better alternative.

A recent study in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience found that artificial sweeteners “appeared to break the physiological connection between sweet tastes and calories” and that the sugar substitute drove lab rats to overeat. Scientists gave the rats sugar-free drinks and sugar-free yogurt and compared them with rats that consumed the same foods sweetened with glucose. They found that after 5 weeks, “rats fed sugar-free yogurt were consuming more calories and had 5 percent more body fat.” Scientists found that rats’ body temperatures did not rise after eating sugar-free food, indicating that it might be hindering their inability to burn calories.

Some critics of the study have posed possible explanations for the results and cited specific problems with the researchers’ methods. Those who do not believe the study should be accepted as definitive fact argue that the results are based on a small number of rats and that animal results do not always apply to humans.

Last year, a study found that adults who drink diet soda have a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome doubles a patient’s risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Researchers had found that regular soda increased risk of the disease; they had expected to find different results with diet soda, but did not. They suspected that diet soda, like regular soda, provoked cravings and that “people who indulge in sodas probably have less healthy diets overall.”

As early as 2004, “CBS News” referred to a study that indicated that artificial sweeteners “can disrupt your body's natural ability to count calorie intake,” causing you to eat more than you would otherwise.

Askmen.com debunks a number of diet myths, including the ideas that low-fat and low-carb food is healthy and that fat is bad for you. Implementing a healthy lifestyle is a better way to lose weight than clinging to myths and gimmicks.

Even superfoods may not all be as necessary as their marketers would like you to believe. Although they probably won’t make you fat, they may be infusing you with nutrients you’ll just flush out. In many cases, it’s better to save time and money by simply eating an apple or consciously pursuing healthy cooking habits.